An alternate version of the infamous “Red Sky” seasons, seasons 8-10. While still given a darker, action-oriented tone and an edgier redesign, the series doesn’t go as far into the “totally edgy” direction. The tone, while darker and more intense, still has bits of comedy- just more subdued. The theme song IS redone in a heavier style, but more closely follows the melody of the original theme, with an MMPR-style metal twist.
While the witty dialogue is remained (if toned down in frequency), the goofy antics and fourth wall breaks are traded for strange and absurd (but not overtly silly) situations and characters, and the occasional subtle tongue-in-cheek parody of extreme edgy conventions. The first movie is a HUGE inspiration, tone wise- dark and gritty, but with a sense of humor.
Most of the main cast get slight personality changes in this season (though remaining distinct and close to their original selves, as opposed to the edgy and generic personalities of the actual Red Sky characters).
- Leonardo, previously a white bread leader type, gets a bit of a paranoid streak, insisting that Shredder is behind everything. Of course, he usually turns out to be right, but the odd opening scene does show examples where he gets it wrong.
- Donatello still does machines, but he becomes more quiet and solemn. He also forms a closer bond with Michelangelo, similar to the first movie.
- Mikey himself gets a more mischievous streak, especially in battle, where he often taunts and tricks his enemies. He also shares the snarky quips with Raph. He and the other turtles also still eat pizza (though the crazy toppings are gone), and he still says “Cowabunga” on occasion. Since nunchucks are still banned in Europe, he gets a new main weapon with the tonfa, as used IOTL in the Next Mutation, as opposed to the grappling hook that all the other turtles have.
- Raphael has the most drastic change of the Turtles. While he’s still rather snarky, his main role in the group is now the moody temperamental tough guy, like in the comics, movies, and future shows. He often clashes with Leonardo.
- Splinter is more serious, and he and the Turtles have a more familial bond.
- April remains similar, often rushing into danger for the sake of a good story, though more able to fend for herself.
- Burne and Vernon still go on a smear campaign against the Turtles, turning the public against them. However, this drives April and Irma to quit and form their own news team to try and regain the public‘s trust in the Turtles, in which they eventually succeed.
- Irma is sort of the heroic comic relief (outside of Mikey), though while her clumsiness occasionally shows back up, she more often than not appears in a version of her Rambo-esque persona in “Shredder Triumphant”, with the humor coming from poking fun at extreme edgy stuff.
- Casey Jones becomes a main character, in a mix of tongue-in-cheek edge similar to Irma and comic accuracy. He cools off a little and becomes April’s boyfriend.
- Shredder becomes much more competent and serious, with the only comedy from him being from his arguments with Krang.
- Krang is similar to his original persona, but even more insane and demented.
- Bebop and Rocksteady are still villainous comic relief, being easily outsmarted, but they’re also shown more as physical powerhouses who the Turtles have to outwit because they can’t beat them physically. Also, they actually learn from their mistakes, which makes them even more dangerous.
The HAVOC storyline from season 8 is cut, and season 8 focuses on a mix of the Turtles being public enemies, several comic stories (such as Raphael’s microseries “Me, Myself, and I” and the one-shots “You Had to Be There” and “Junk Man”), and following up on season 7 episodes like “Dirk Savage, Mutant Hunter” where Tokka vowed to rescue Razhar from AJ Howard. The season still ends with Shredder and Krang stranded in Dimension X, and the Turtles’ reputation restored.
Season 9 still has a network-mandated change of antagonist- instead of Lord Dregg, the new villain is Karai, the true leader of the Foot Clan (taking from the comics, which had Karai as Shredder’s superior rather than second in command), taking over from Shredder. While much more devious and cunning than Shredder ever was, she also gains a healthy respect for the Turtles over time, viewing them as equals. The Turtles kinda feel the same but at the same time she’s evil so… there’s that. Her mooks are the HUMAN Foot soldiers, not robotic ones, and with human faces to boot. This is a part of a now rare fourth wall break, with Karai being aware of the network censorship rendering the Turtles unable to harm humans, and exploiting it.
Mona Lisa also returns, as was planned IOTL in season 9, with her being retconned into a newt mutant rather than a general lizard mutant (fitting the more fishy-ish feeling of her toy) as well as becoming a “neighbor” of the Turtles similar to the similarly returning Mondo Gecko (explaining why she didn’t appear in the Turtle lair again after moving into the sewers). She also gets a personality change, getting a more wiseass persona similar to the original/1987 Raphael.
The mutants ALSO start going through unstable mutations that pop up at random times, though more varied, akin to their initial plans for the fourth TMNT movie. They also start out useful but degrade over time.
- Leonardo gets metallic skin but he starts moving slower in his mutated form
- Donatello gets telekinetic and technopathic powers, but his eyesight in his mutated state becomes worse and worse
- Raphael turns into a monstrous form of himself and gradually loses control
- Unlike the others, Michelangelo can control his mutated form- to an absurd degree. He can shapeshift now, but the longer he stays outside of his original form, he starts to lose his memory of who he was.
- Splinter can fly and read minds, but eventually gets killer migraines.
-Mondo Gecko becomes extra sticky, which is both a blessing and a curse.
- Based on the regenerative properties of newts, Mona can regenerate body parts and clone herself, either at will or automatically from dismembered body parts. However, each clone has a different personality, which doesn’t go away when they merge back into one being, meaning Mona can hear their thoughts in her head, and she can take over Mona in her mutant state at any time. And not all of them are friendly…
Like IOTL, the changes here are followed into season 10. Notable episodes in these two seasons include:
- Human Nature, where Michelangelo tries to live among human beings
- Planet of the Flies, with Baxter Stockman at his most deranged
- The Fugitoid, an inverse of his comic appearance by bringing the character to modern day Earth rather than bringing the Turtles to him in the far future
- Split Personality, where a wicked clone of Mona is absorbed back into Mona before she can show her true colors, then takes over… whenever she’s in her second stage mutation, that is, turning it into a Jekyll and Hyde thing
- Split Second, introducing Renet the Timestress from the comics
- The Fifth Turtle, where Karai, unimpressed with Slash, creates an edgy evil turtle with a not so edgy name- KIRBY. (From the planned fourth movie, yes)
- The Secret of the Ooze, adapting the Utrom origin story for the Mutagen- radioactive waste from the aliens’ attempt to create a teleporter to get back home
And, of course, the three part finale arc. Adapting “What Goes Around Comes Around”, “Silent Partner”, and “City at War” from the comics, as well as elements of the second movie.
- The Fright Before Christmas - It’s Christmas Eve, a warm and happy time. Michaelangelo is cooking and eating a delicious Christmas pizza, Donatello decorating the tree, Raphael is trying to get a peek at everyone’s presents, and Leonardo… is nowhere to be found. He’s over on the other side of town, and it’s a much less happy time for him. He’s being followed by a rogue faction of the Foot Clan- one that’s apparently led by the Shredder, back from Dimension X!
- City at War - Things are bad. New York is in the middle of an overgrown gang war, with the Foot Clan on one end and Shredder and Krang‘s Elite on the other, with the Turtles in the middle! And worse, Shredder has gotten his hands on the mutagen- and there’s now no telling what he’ll do with it!
- Super Shredder - Shredder transforms himself into a giant monster with the mutagen and goes on a rampage! Now the Turtles and the Foot must set their differences aside in order to stop him!
While a jarring shift in tone at the time, nowadays the “Night Sky” seasons (called such because they almost exclusively take place at night) are regarded as some of the best seasons in the show, a refreshing change of pace, and a precursor to the 2003 show.
